Captain's Corner: New moon, strong tides bring lots of tarpon

What's hot: Many tarpon have been caught from Egmont Key to Anclote Key. For the next few months, large schools can be found along gulf beaches. The stronger tides surrounding this week's new moon will have tarpon congregating around the mouth of Tampa Bay and deepwater passes along the coast. The strong afternoon outgoing tide will flush out crabs, shrimp, mullet and other baitfish.

Tactics: Suspending crabs, pinfish or threadfin herring beneath corks at varying depths keeps baits in the line of sight. Bridge fishing at night works well for the strong outgoing tides around the full and new moon. Free-line a live threadfin in the eddy behind the pilings or cast shrimp or scaled sardines to fish cruising the bridge's shadow line. Bridge fishing at night works better around the new moon because the lights on the bridge create a more defined shadow line.

Seth Leto charters out of Tarpon Springs and can be reached at capt.seth@yahoo.com or (727) 385-0382.